Lauren Eusebio

Katseye came together by joining two companies. It was a collaboration between Hybe, which manages groups like BTS and Enhypen, and Geffen, an American group under Scooter Braun. Their aim was to use the K-Pop structure of training for a certain number of years, having a concept before you debut, and having producers helping to build your image and choreography, and apply it to a Western group.

In so many ways, Katseye is K-Pop adjacent because they're partially under a big K-Pop company. They perform at Korean music shows. They do a lot of collabs with K-Pop artists. Yet in terms of their actual promotions, they promote globally, where K-Pop idols just promote in Korea. K-Pop idols are also incredibly media-trained: they can't date publicly, and they can't say anything political. Katseye, however, can say what they want and be out in the open with their love lives. So to me, they are a logistically a K-Pop group, but socially a Western group.

Some of them are confirmed, some of them are alleged. Daniela is in a confirmed relationship with a creative named Jonah David. He's based in LA, and he has a clothing brand called Bully LA. They went on vacation together in the Dominican Republic over winter break.

There is speculation that Sophia is in a relationship with a friend from the Philippines called Leon Barretto. People don't know if they're just really good friends or if they're dating. It's the same situation with Megan: she is speculated to be dating a dude named Jonah Abraham. He's a music producer in LA.

Lara is confirmed to be dating a British man named Orlando, who is quite a bit older than her. He produces his own music. British. Manon is speculated to be dating a guy named David, another LA socialite music producer. Finally, Yoonchae, the youngest, has no sort of rumors or speculation around her dating life. I'm really concerned that I knew all of this in such detail.

Cortis debuted in the summer of 2025. The most notable thing about them is that they are all extremely young — 16 or 17 years old. One of the members is named James, and James has actually been an accomplished producer for other K-Pop groups. It's very rare that you find an idol that is involved in the actual creative process. This makes Cortis unique as they have more control over their music than other groups.

I would argue that the sound Cortis is going for is really Western. Even the choreography in their performances and videos looks Western, like something you'd find in an LA hip hop class. Their fashion leans Western, too. This has made them the subject of some controversy, but they have truly established themselves as the group bringing Western culture and sound to K-pop.